Congress to shift their MLA’s to Preserve them from Poach

Congress has planned to take its MLAs either to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh or Jaipur in Rajasthan

MUMBAI| The shock which blew the Maharashtra inside out created the biggest challenge in front of Shiv Sena, Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party to hold their MLA’s tight to continue the fight to form government in Maharashtra. The three parties are likely to move their MLAs out of the state.

Shiv Sena, Congress, and NCP have 56, 54 and 44 MLAs respectively in the newly elected Assembly. Shiv Sena has lodged its members at the Lalits in Mumbai hotel, while NCP and Congress are planning to shift their MLAs out of the state.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the party will take all possible steps to keep the MLAs safe. Now looking at the situation NCP MLA’s more likely to split for which NCP Chief has taken this decision.

Congress has planned to take its MLAs either to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh or Jaipur in Rajasthan the two states where the party is in power and has good influence.

“We have discussed this in our party meeting convened to elect the legislative party leader in the afternoon. There was a suggestion of keeping the MLAs from all three parties together, but Congress objected to the idea. We will shift our MLAs to either Bhopal or Jaipur by evening. But we are sure, there will be no defection from the party,” said a senior Congress leader.

All Congress MLAs were present for the legislative party meeting on Saturday afternoon. “Four of our MLAs joined late, but they have signed the letter authorizing party president Sonia Gandhi to elect legislative party leader,” said the leader.

The Congress leader said that the party has also taken the responsibility of the Shiv Sena MLAs who are expected to be dispatched to Jaipur by evening. However, Sena leaders said that the decision over it has not yet been taken. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, “Nobody can poach our MLAs”. Sena MLAs are currently at a suburban hotel near the international airport.

Ten to 11 NCP MLAs had gone with Ajit Pawar who was sworn in as deputy chief minister on Saturday morning, but seven of them have returned to party chief Sharad Pawar. They claimed that they were taken to the Raj Bhawan without their consent.

Congress MLAs were lodged at Jaipur and Shiv Sena MLAs at a hotel in Madh in Malad immediately after the results and they complained of attempts of poaching. They returned to their respective constituencies after a few days of result.